Global Marketing Gurus to Feature at Inaugural MarketingPulse

Hong Kong Conference to Showcase Latest Branding Strategies

6 March 2018 – The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) will launch the inaugural MarketingPulse conference on 21 March (Wednesday). Featuring more than 30 international experts in marketing, media, advertising and brand management, the conference will examine the latest marketing trends and offer insights and success stories from top industry representatives. The conference aims to help companies enhance their competitiveness in marketing and brand promotion, while highlighting Hong Kong’s standing as the region’s premier marketing hub. The event is tailored for corporate executives, marketing and advertising agency representatives and brand representatives.

A showcase of marketing strategies and market analysis
“Multinational corporations, SMEs and start-ups all rely on effective marketing to promote their products and services to target customers and to drive sales,” said Raymond Yip, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director. “To effectively attract customers in different markets, age groups and categories, companies need different techniques and market knowledge. For that reason, MarketingPulse will explore a diverse range of topical marketing subjects, including content marketing, social media applications, key opinion leader (KOL) tactics, and marketing strategies for the Chinese mainland, to meet the many needs and interests of corporations, marketers and participants attending the conference.”

Heads of global brands to share experience
To maintain customer loyalty and attract new clients, companies must have a comprehensive brand management strategy, requiring a combination of marketing and business strategies and agility in navigating market changes. MarketingPulse will feature insights from heads of top global brands, including Sara Riis-Carstensen, Head of Global Branding of De Beers, who will discuss how to keep brands fresh. Kei Suzuki, Director of Ryohin Keikaku Co, Ltd., will share how MUJI turned a household product company into a lifestyle brand. JiPeng Men, Vice President of JD.com, will explain how the company quickly established a firm foothold in a highly competitive e-tailing industry. Evan Greene, Chief Marketing Officer of The Recording Academy (The GRAMMYs), and Qin Hai Hu, Brand Director of Chinese mainland skincare product brand Pechoin, will share how they rejuvenated their respective brands.

Gurus to share how to capitalise creativity
Creative advertisers and marketers are indispensable to launching brand campaigns. The conference will feature several legendary advertising figures, including Joshua Grossberg, Group Creative Director of McCann New York; Peter Lefebvre, Creative Director of Leo Burnett; Kazuhiro Shimura, Creative Director of Dentsu Inc; Spencer Wong, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of McCann & Spencer; and Tommy Li, Creative Director of Tommy Li Design Workshop Ltd. During these sessions, the speakers will discuss the role of creative marketing in winning over consumers.

Capture the latest marketing strategies and technologies
With the constantly evolving global marketing playbook and marketing strategies now intricately linked with digital media platforms, Assaf Tarnopolsky, Director of Marketing Solutions, South East Asia, North Asia & Japan, LinkedIn; and Maya Hari, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Twitter; will explain the ins and outs of social media marketing. In other sessions, Viveca Chan, Chairman and CEO of WE Marketing Group; 3water Li, founder of W, who is widely respected in the industry for his comprehensive interactive marketing strategy; Kosuke Sogo, CEO and co-founder of AnyMind Group, a company with expertise in raising clients’ efficiency with a suite of AI-based solutions; and Vincent Tsui, founder and CEO of Toast Communications Ltd, will discuss how to leverage new media marketing to target different markets.

Apart from new media, other types of new technology, such as big data and artificial intelligence (AI), are also disrupting the marketing landscape. The HKTDC will organise a breakout session, in collaboration with the IAB Hong Kong powered by HKDMA, to explore “How Big Data Changes the Face of Marketing?”. The session will feature several data analytics and digital experts, who will show how these technologies can be used to enhance marketing.

Exhibition and business-matching service to create solid business opportunities
MarketingPulse will also feature an Exhibition Zone, gathering nearly 20 companies engaged in new media advertising and marketing, content marketing, search engine optimisation, data-driven marketing solutions, customer service platforms and AI platforms. These companies will showcase their innovative marketing strategies, technologies and solutions, while highlighting Hong Kong’s marketing prowess. An on-site business matching service will arrange one-on-one meetings for brands and exhibiting marketing agencies to explore collaboration opportunities. The HKTDC will also organise various networking events for brand representatives and marketing companies to exchange intelligence and build networks.

MarketingPulse enjoys the support of leading marketing industry organisations, including the Council of Public Relations Firms of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Association of Interactive Marketing, the HKMA Digital Marketing Community, The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Advertisers Association.

Visit the MarketingPulse website for the latest programme and speaker list. For interviews with speakers, please email your interview outline and contact information to billy.km.ng@hktdc.org.

The heads of several international brands, including Kei Suzuki, Director of Ryohin Keikaku Co, Ltd (MUJI) (top), and JiPeng Men, Vice President of JD.com (bottom), will share their brand- building experience at the inaugural MarketingPulse